Real Madrid are currently led by Alvaro Arbeloa, who took charge earlier this year after the club dismissed Xabi Alonso in January.
Alonso had only been appointed last summer following his success at Bayer Leverkusen, replacing Carlo Ancelotti, who left to manage the Brazil national football team.
Alonso’s tenure lasted only a few months before Real Madrid turned to another former Liverpool player, Arbeloa, who had previously been working within the club’s youth setup.
Although he is highly regarded for his work with younger players, reports suggest he was never viewed as a long-term solution at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
According to ESPN, Real Madrid have already started assessing coaching options for next season, with Mauricio Pochettino among the names on their shortlist.
The Argentine, currently managing the United States men’s national soccer team, has a contract that runs through this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Pochettino has long been admired by club president Florentino Pérez. His previous work at Tottenham Hotspur, where he guided the side to the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final, as well as spells with Paris Saint‑Germain and Chelsea, has strengthened his reputation as a coach capable of managing top-level talent.
Another factor in his favour is his previous relationship with Kylian Mbappé, whom he coached for two seasons at PSG. During that period, the club won the Ligue 1 title, the Coupe de France and the Trophée des Champions.
However, PSG failed to win the Champions League under his leadership. Real Madrid are expected to undergo significant structural changes this summer after investing more than £170million in new players last year following a trophyless campaign.
Several of those signings have yet to deliver the expected performances. Other managers linked with the job in Spanish media include Jurgen Klopp, Unai Emery and Massimiliano Allegri.
Meanwhile, it is believed that Pérez would still welcome the return of Zinedine Zidane, although reports indicate Zidane could instead take charge of the France national football team after the World Cup.
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